A
recent poll conducted by Your Black World/Kulture Kritic, shows that the
majority of African Americans are disappointed in the state of black leadership
in America. Participants were asked, ‘Are you happy with the state of
black leadership in America?” A total of 85 percent of poll respondents said
that they were either unhappy or extremely unhappy with the current state of
black leadership.
This
is a result of what I have been saying for some time now and I will continue to
say. That the status quo in our community must go. Our elected black officials
regardless of what office you were elected to, has put the blacks and the
issues that matters to the Africans American community on the back burner.
Our
pastors that takes a charge to lead from a spiritual point of view has giving
in to the dollars and cents and not the souls and hearts of God people.
Community
leaders have now become leaders of favoritism and not leaders of truth and
freedom. People are now beginning to realize that phony leadership exists; and it’s
become an issue of fame, fortune and money and not progress, prosperity and
hope for our community.
Also
in the recent poll most blacks seemed to believe that white media plays an
overwhelming role in defining black leadership. Respondents was asked, “Do
you think that predominantly white media determines who the black leadership is
going to be?” In response, 69 percent of respondents answered “yes,”
while only 19 percent answered “no.” The rest of the participants said
they undecided.
Is
this a signed of time that white mainstream media and local media corps dominate
and determined who represent our communities so they can control the influence?
This is nothing new that white media is a driving force on who represents the African
American community.
The
real question is when the African American community is going to take a stand
and end the status quo. Dr. Martin Luther King along with many others are
turning over in their graves today, to know that our black community have
turned its back on progress, prosperity and hope.
Our
community has the outrageous image in leadership. Our community continues to
see a rise in crime and violence, drugs and fatherless homes. Our community
continues to see high unemployment and less affordable services. The African
American community continues to see a lack of leadership whether is political
or spiritual.
Many
pastors in our community often say that they don’t mix politics with religion.
It goes to show you how much they care about the issues that matters the most
to our community. If pastors and ministers would take a moment and think back
when the Civil Rights era first began, it was the church that help the movement.
It was the church that spoke out against bad policy and politics. It was Dexter
Ave Baptist Church where sermons and speeches were delivered for our freedom,
it was in Birmingham, Alabama where a black church was bombed and people lost
their lives because of the fight for freedom.
I
can go on and on, but it’s a sad day when our younger communities have to look
at the poor leadership of today and be discouraged.
When
will we as a people and community stand up for what’s right, and stop letting
people take advantage of our community, our rights and our freedom? The time is
getting short; will you as a African American people let it be too late?
